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(U) Deployed to Afghanistan
FROM: Sgt
Unknown
Run Date: 12/01/2003
USMC
(S//SI) My name is Sgt
and I deployed to Bagram,
Afghanistan as part of a NIST . I am a MINSAP participant and this
deployment seemed to be a natural extension of the office I was
working prior to going out. Although I had been working the Iraq
target, the methods and points of contact within NSA were
something I was fairly comfortable with.
Bagram, Afghanistan
(S) Upon my arrival in Bagram, I got off of a C-130 late in the
evening and it was pitch dark. There is a light discipline in effect
for Bagram and no exterior lights are allowed around the flight
line. I was guided around the base (with cautions to "stay on the
hardball, there are active mines everywhere") and was shown to
my tent.
(C) The NIST team members who were not on watch helped me
bring my gear into the tent. I passed out, exhausted, almost
immediately after getting settled in. When I awoke the next
morning and stumbled from my cot out into the morning light, I
gazed in wonder at my surroundings. I was in the middle of a tent
city that was ringed by snowcapped mountains. The sun was just
peeking over the mountain tops, illuminating a complete ecosystem
starting to bustle alive around me.
(S//SI) Once I settled into the routine, I quickly realized that we
were in for some odd hours. The three analysts switched off as
there were not enough terminals for more than one of us at any
one time. We were on 8 hour shifts, but whenever anything odd
came up, or we were working some kind of 'pet project', we often
stayed for many hours after shift. There was an extra terminal that
was reserved for the senior analyst who was not always there and
we would commandeer that machine for extra work. We were fed
by Brown and Root (the Army's civilian contracting company who is
the answer to malnutrition, scurvy, and an appetite), and had 2 hot
meals a day. That meant we were fed a hot breakfast and hot
dinner. As much as people like to complain about such things, the
food wasn't all that bad. Everywhere we went, we went armed. We
usually carried a 9mm pistol in a shoulder harness, but when we
took trips off base, we also carried M16 A2 service rifles and M4
rifles.
(S) We were often traveling to Kabul. We had to pick up new
analysts, occasionally go for analyst exchanges, and conduct escort
duty for the various trips undertaken by personnel from the rest of
the base. We also had the unique opportunity to travel to the
Salang Tunnel with the New Zealand detachment personnel. They
SERIES:
(U//FOUO) IA Interns
Abroad
1. Coming Soon: IA
Interns Abroad
2. 3 1/2 Months in
Qatar: Supporting
CENTCOM
3. 3 1/2 Months in
Qatar: Outside of
Work
4. Deployed to
Afghanistan
5. Camp Virginia to
Camp Victory: In
Kuwait
6. Camp Virginia to
Camp Victory: Into
Baghdad
7. NISTing in Kabul and
Baghdad - Part One
8. NISTing in Kabul and
Baghdad - Part Two
9. Working at Prince
Sultan Air Base, SA
10. Deployment
Sketches - Part 1
11. Deployment
Sketches - Part 2
12. Dispatch from CSG
Baghdad
were headed there, and we were afforded the opportunity to tag
along. It is supposed to be the highest tunnel in the world, and as
a piece of military history it is fascinating. It has been fought over
by the Taliban, Northern Alliance, Russians and most recently, the
U.S.. All along the route up the mountainsides there are burned
out tanks and troop carriers left behind during previous conflicts.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is overseeing the multi-national
team doing the reconstruction of the tunnel. It was amazing to
travel throughout the countryside. It is a very primitive and stark
landscape. It was beautiful in its own way.
Salang Tunnel
(U) The biggest eye-opener I had was in observing how NSA
deploys its personnel. I have been deployed with the Marine Corps
in the past, and it is a very different experience. It was nice to
know I was going to an established site. I was excited by the
prospect of not having to bring the equipment in, clean it up, pack
it out and bring it home.
(U) As much as I missed my family and really wanted to see green
grass again, when I looked around Bagram that final morning prior
to flying out, I was kind of sad. If there's one thing my experiences
deploying around the world have taught me, it's that these trips
are ALL once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. Each one is a unique and
exciting adventure.
"(U//FOUO) SIDtoday articles may not be republished or reposted outside NSANet
without the consent of S0121 (DL sid comms)."
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DERIVED FROM: NSA/CSSM 1-52, DATED 08 JAN 2007 DECLASSIFY ON: 20320108